Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

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Anna
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Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by Anna »

Preface:
So, this is another attempt at me doing an interactive story type thing. The basic premise is, I make story posts, and you can guide the story soley through the protagonist. You cannot suggest plot twists or things for other characters to do. You are in the head of the protagonist, and the way the story is told will reflect that. Unlike my previous attempts at this sort of thing, I won't necessarily be beholden to votes. If I don't get a lot of votes in an aloted time, or if there's no firm and solid consensus, I'll go with whatever suggestions I liked the most, or will try to combine suggestions. You can also ask the protagonist questions, and he will answer them, if he can.

Basically, that's the idea. I'm giving it another shot, just to see how it will turn out. I guess you can call it a writing experiment or something. Let's see if it gets any attention.

------

"In the beginning," The priest chanted, as he had done so many times before, "There were the Gods. They were more numerous than all the stars in the sky, and power echoed in their steps."

I stood behind the dais, hidden in shadow and leaning back against the wall, cloaked and cowled, arms crossed over my chest. I had heard this story so many times before. Who hadn't, in this place? But I know that you dwell within me now, and perhaps this tale is new to you, so I shall share it again. There were only a scant dozen people sitting in the pews of the Temple, but each of them, like myself, was home to a million voices, and so we listened to the words of the Priest, so that those within us could hear the tale.

"And for many, many aeons these gods whisked about, using their power to create worlds and stars and things with which to amuse themselves. But the Gods grew wicked, crafting life and toying with it, battling against each other, destroying whole worlds in their desire to satisfy their own egos," The priest continued, "And from their wickedness, and their willful pride, spawned demons, dark creatures who feed on those dark urges and pushed them onwards. And while that wickedness remained, the demons could never be pushed back."

"Nayaki was the alone among all the Gods in witnessing the evil they had spawned. He alone had been innocent, for his power was that of erasure and destruction, and he was want to ever use it. For despite that, Nayaki loved life, and he loved the fellow Gods. But he did not love the demons, and with every day, and year, and aeon that passed, they grew in number. Finally, the demons overwhelmed the Gods in number, so great was their wickedness, and Nayaki's hand was forced."

The priest paused for a moment, bowing his head slightly in reverence, "And so it was that Nayaki ascended to the highest place in all Creation, and spoke the words of destruction, watching with sadness as Creation burned. All the gods were broken asunder, all their creations, all life, everything that was, wiped out, including Nayaki himself, and the demons were pushed back into darkness."

"From the ashes, and the scattered remnants of those destroyed gods, formed the sun, the stars, the moons, and everything in this world and beyond. Each of you has the spark, the shard of a dead god within you, every man and woman in the world does. But you, my children, are special, as you know. Each of you carries a piece of Nayaki himself within your soul. Each of you has been awakened. Your souls transformed into weapons to hold back the darkness."

Finally, his story finished, the priest turns towards me, and smiles, his young face creased with many lines, putting the lie to his apparent age. In his eyes I beheld a wisdom that was the exclusive domain of one who has lived through much and seen even more.

"Step forward, Oren," He said to me, and I obeyed, stepping out of the shadows, "This is Oren, who is now your brother. His soul was awoken last night, and he, like yourself, will be a light to ward back the darkness. Who among you will claim him as your student?"

Two people both rose from the pews, to my surprise. It was rare for two Masters to both desire the same student. Often this matter was settled before hand. The priest himself seem surprised too, looking down at the two standing figures and chuckling to himself, raising a hand to rub his shaven scalp.

"Brother Jeremil and Sister Loza both seem to have taken an interest in you, Oren." He observed, "As is the tradition, the choice is then yours. Perhaps they should present their cases for why they'd make the better Master."

Brother Jeremil was quick to speak first. He was a large man, broad in shoulder and a foot taller than the tallest of most men. Despite his size and his craggy, worn face, he always appeared to have an expression of kindness and good humor about him, and eschewed the flowing and billowing midnight blue cloaks of our order in favour of bright, cheerfully coloured robes, "Oren! You know me! I was like an uncle to you, a father even! I need a student like you. I'm headed to Elmergard this tenday, and the forests there are thick with demons. It would be a good place to learn, yes?"

Sister Loza smiled indulgently at Jeremil's loud and enthusiastic speech, waiting for him to finish before letting her own voice be heard, "Oren, you have potential. Great potential. You're the first new initiate that the Brotherhood of Keepers has had in half a century. You also know that I am the only one here capable of helping you realise that potential fully. Jeremil is a wonderous man, with a big heart, but it is well known that he doesn't have half my talent, nor half your potential. And the task I have planned could prove both more challenging, and more rewarding. So, make your choice."

Well, that was a difficult choice. Loza was right in that she would be the better Master. Even Jeremil would not deny that, for her talents were legendary among our small group. But she was stricter as well, and pushed for excellence. She could be difficult to please. Jeremil wouldn't be able to teach me as well, but he'd be a better mentor, and a better friend.

Who do I choose?
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by ArcaneDude »

Personally I would go for Loza. Friendship is important, but in dark times like this such potential as Oren's must be cultivated.
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by flabort »

This seems interesting. Why don't we break tradition, and say we'll accept Loza's tasks, but travel with Jeremil, training under both at once?
But, I doubt we can do so, so I should say Loza.

Question to the protagonist:
"Oren, what combat styles does your sacred order train in, in fighting the demon threats? What weapons are favored? The sword? the axe? the spear and shield? Perhaps they train in the martial arts and magic? Would the different Masters train you in different Arts?"
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by STARSTRUCK »

If you ask me? I would go with Brother Jeremil.

My decision draws base from a certain concept known as male bonding. I am confident that choosing to travel with him would raise a flag for a bro route.
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by Cynsye »

I think going with Loza would be a better idea, running off to a forest thats "thick with demons" strikes me as a better place to die than to train, especially considering you "awakened" just last night.
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by Anna »

"You make a wonderful friend, Brother Jeremil, but I'm sorry to say I must choose Sister Loza as my Master," I said, pressing my fist into my palm and clutching it tightly, bowing slightly at the waist in the traditional bow of our order.

Jeremil laughed and shrugged his shoulders, returning the bow in a far more casual manner than any other in the Brotherhood, "I expected as much. Let's hope she doesn't break you then, eh boy?"

I couldn't help but to offer him a grin in return, a genuine expression of affection. Jeremil had always treated me well, and I was honored that he'd wanted me as a student. But I knew Loza was a better choice. I joined the Brotherhood to become a beacon of light in the dark, and Loza could teach me to shine brightly.

Of course, my lessons would not begin immediately. Loza instructed me to meet her in the morning, and sent me back to my room in the dormitory. One of you asked what weapons our Order uses, and that is a difficult question to answer. When the Priest said our souls had been transformed into weapons, he had not been speaking metophorically, though that is the least of it. The truth is far more complex.

Upon returning to my room in the dormitory, I closed the door behind me and stepped over to my desk, drawing out my chair. On the desk lay a quill and a pot of ink. There was no paper, for none was needed. Stripping of my cloak and my tunic, my bare chest flickered in the light of the room, ancient words shimmering across my chest. It took a moment of thought and concentration and those flickering, shimmering words drew to a glowing point, and from my chest I drew forth a large, thick tome.

That was, quite literally, my soul. In awakening my soul, they had reshaped the stuff of dead gods it was created from, turning it into a tome of power, which, while a pale reflection of what the gods themselves had weilded, was still potent beyond mortal reckoning.

Laying the tome down on the table, I opened it, leafing through the pages. Each page was inscribed with with words and images of power, in ancient languages, most of which I didn't understand. My own soul was now a foreign thing to me, and it would take me time to learn to harness its power fully. At the moment, only the first three pages were known by me.

The first page is the incantation of binding. The image of a sword is etched upon the page. I could tear that page out and harness it as a weapon, but it would still remain within the book, for souls are not so easily destroyed as that. Using the Page of the Sword, I can bind flesh-bound spirits by piercing their shadow, or slay the shells of lesser demons and send them back to the Abyss.

The second page is the incantation of warding, and bears the image of an ornate lantern. By tearing that page out and pinning it to a surface, I can ward off or imprison a demon, depending on how I use it. That page is called the Page of Judgement.

The third page is the incantation of shielding. I'll leave it to you to imagine what image that page bears. While one might think this incantation is for protecting the body, it actually serves to protect the mind. By invoking it, I can prevent demons from twisting my thoughts and distorting my perception. That page is called the Page of Iron.

Those are three pages of more than a thousand. And because of what I now am, I will live forever, or at least until I am slain. Like other members of the Brotherhood, I will not age, nor will I grow. Scars will fade as if they had never been, all but fatal wounds can be overcome. These are the weapons I have been given to fight off the darkness. It's not enough. The Brotherhood is dying. The demons grow by the year, and those with the gift to become one of us are rare. But we fight, because the price of failure is unacceptable.

So I spent the rest of the day and a portion of the night reading into the tome which is my soul. You exist within those pages, the voices of dead gods, dead people, or potential people. A thousand, thousand soul fragments unlocked within me. A curse, perhaps? Or a blessing? I'm not sure. The idea of no longer being alone in my head is strange to me, but I suspect I will adjust.

Come morning, Loza awoke me.

"We're to travel to Yomenae, in the East," She instructed me simply as she watched me dress with casual disinterest, "Father Lias wishes for us to investigate the religion growing there. They claim a God protects them from demons, and can command them."

I frowned a little, trying not to get uncomfortable with the way she just stared at me like that. I suppose it was only natural, for she had lived at least three centuries, but I was still unused to someone who appeared to be a pretty - if stern - young woman staring at me while I dressed, "You think it's something to be concerned about?"

Loza shrugged, "Religions spring up every now and then, but Lias has heard some disturbing rumors of this one, and it has grown far larger than most do."

And so we left. Yomenae is quite a distance away. I'll see about drawing up a map for you, but suffice it to say we'll be traveling for a few weeks at least. On the trip I'll be studying my soul tome, trying to decipher more of its pages. Page four bears the image of a spear, page five bears the image of a chain, and page six bears the image of a flaming torch.

Which should I focus myself on?
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by ArcaneDude »

In Oren's mind, the voices of the Gods stirred themselves.

Focus on the flaming torch. Fire brings life and death alike. He who wields it's power may see in the dark, bring warmth in the cold of night or destroy all that he sees fit. Such is the potency of fire. Such is your destiny.
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by flabort »

Fire is the embodiment of energy, of life and destruction. To study the page with the torch, you shall be able to, if you'll pardon the expression, hold a candle to the mysteries of this tome, of your very soul.
But to decipher a page is not mastering it, is it? Woult thou... erm, wouldn't you gain more from mastering the pages you already know, the Sword in particular?
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by vidboi »

what happened to bros before hoes? D=

anyway, fire is so clichéed. study the incantation of shielding, so we can use it more effectively, then study the spear. phalanx tiems
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by BoVinE »

vidboi wrote:study the incantation of shielding, so we can use it more effectively, then study the spear. phalanx tiems
Anna wrote:Page four bears the image of a spear, page five bears the image of a chain, and page six bears the image of a flaming torch.
We know shielding already....

I say chains. What cannot be destroyed can be bound, until a time when we have the power to do so.
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by Da_Dooley »

Fire. Definitely fire. Beyond the philosophical, flowery-language uses for it, think of the practicality. What if it rains? Hey, presto, magical campfire! Cold food? Pfft, thing of the past. Unpurified water? Boil that sucker up! Cute lady at the end of the bar? Check it out, babe, I can shoot fire!

Erm...

Yeah, so... fire.
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by Anna »

Of course it's not so simple as some of you might think. You may think that the image of the burning torch literally represents the power of fire, but such was not the case. Page six was called the Page of Radiance, and held the incantation of illumination. With it I could reveal the true nature of things. No demon could hide from my sight if I invoked it, whether it being flickering and ethereal or hiding in the flesh of a man. So too would it reveal those who had the potential to tap into the power of their souls to my sight.

One of you asked about mastering the pages. While it does take time and practice to learn the most effective ways to use the gifts each page holds, once you understand the contents of a page, it is as easy to draw upon as breathing. It is, after all, a part of my soul. Once I understand it, it is a simple matter to wield it.

It took me the better tenday to fully understand the Page of Radiance, spending half of every night studying when I should have been sleeping. On the journey, Loza kept mostly to herself, riding a dozen yards in the lead, speaking little, if at all, even when we made camp for the night. It wasn't until we reached the port city of Kalhasshim that she actually sat down to speak with me.

It was nearing full twilight, and the sun had long since set. We had rented rooms for the night at a small but pleasant tavern, the name of which I can not even recall right now, and I was sitting downstairs in the common room, nursing a mug of meade and listening to the chatter of the regulars, rarely joining their conversation. It was nice to relax for a night, and so I was making the most of the opportunity. I was half-way through my mug and feeling a mild, pleasant buzz when Loza came down the stairs into the common room. She'd changed out of the traditional Keeper garments, and wore a long, layered white and grey gown with a gauzy blue shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Her eyes met mine for a moment, and I knew she wished for me to follow her.

So as she crossed the room and stepped out of the tavern, I made a casual show of pushing my mug aside and rose from my chair, tossing a half dozen bronze coins onto the counter, offering a nod to the bartender before following after Loza.

Her strides were long and graceful, and she kept a long distance ahead of me, assuring I could not catch up unless I ran. But I did not run. I did my best to match her gait, trailing her to wherever she would lead me. Her path lead us towards the docks, and despite the darkness, I had little trouble following her, for she almost seemed to glow in the starlight.

Finally, she walked out onto one of the piers, and sat herself down on a crate, turning to look at me as I approached. An amused smile briefly played across her lips, her shawl flickering and curling around her with the sea breeze.

"Oren," She said softly, her voice seeming almost as ethereal as the way she looked in the starlight, "I'm surprised you've taken this so well. I'd have expected you to be impatient, urging me to speak to you, to teach you, to help you learn. And yet you've accepted my silence without question."

I raised a brow and shrugged, moving to sit opposite her, making eye contact with her for a moment before looking out over the inky black waves, "You're my Master. I trust your judgment. And I have had new friends to keep me company."

Loza let out a little laugh at that, nodding her head slightly, "Perhaps in time, you will learn to know them, and even befriend them. Some Keepers do. Other Keepers hear so many voices so erraticly that they become withdrawn, finding the noise in their minds to be companionship enough. Or perhaps they merely wish to avoid hearing even more voices. I know in my early years I often felt I'd be driven to madness."

"I haven't found it that bad, yet."

"So, how many pages have you deciphered now, Oren?" She asked, "I heard tell you learned the Page of the Sword in an hour."

I gave a small shrug of my shoulders, "Sword, Judgement, Iron and Radiance are known to me," I replied, "Though Radiance took me a eight days."

Loza didn't respond, and so I turned and found her staring at me, a combination of surprise and confusion on her face, "You've been a Keeper for less than a lunar cycle and you already know four pages? Not unprecedented, but... well, let's just say I'm now doubly glad you chose me."

Loza smiled, and her blue-green eyes twinkled in the light, as she held out a hand, "May I see it, Oren? Your Soul Tome?"

At the question I hesitated. Handing your Soul Tome over to anyone, even to another member of the Brotherhood, even your Master, it was not something to be done lightly. It would be like taking your heart out of your chest and entrusting it in another's hands, only worse. On the other hand however, I trusted her, for she was my Master, and she was finally speaking to me, perhaps getting ready to teach me great things.

Tell me then, what do I do? Shall I hand her my Soul Tome, or refuse her?
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by STARSTRUCK »

Considering how casual she seems to be about this, it is probably a test.

Show her that you treasure your Soul Tome. Refuse her. Obtain an affection point.

Besides, a pier is hardly a place to inspect such a valuable thing. What if it falls into the sea?!
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by flabort »

She may be preparing a test, in which we cannot have access to our soul tome.
She is, indeed, over three centuries old, and has probably trained a great many of our kind. She has probably asked to see their tomes as well. I say we give it to her.
But keep the Page of the Sword, in case she is unwilling to return the tome.

What does the name Oren mean, by the way? It most certainty can't mean anything like 'warrior' or 'chosen'. Does it mean 'trusting', perhaps?
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Re: Pages of the Soul - An Interactive Story

Post by Da_Dooley »

Hmm... do we not know what she wants to do with it? Wat do wat do wat do...

HEY, MAYBE WE COULD USE THAT PAGE WE JUST LEARNED. Does it not...
Anna wrote:...reveal the true nature of things[?]
If we find what she wants with our soul tome, we can make the decision of whether or not to give it to her based on her intentions.
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